Convergence
by Ceireavne
Summary: In the midst of liberating Jugdral from Arvis' empire, Seliph meets a mysterious young girl named Julia. They begin to develop feelings for each other, their real relation unknown to either of them. When the truth finally reveals itself, romance is held in tension with blood. For those unfamiliar with Genealogy, this pairing includes half-sibling romance.
1. Ganeishire

"Seliph, mind if I ask you something?" Lewyn said, looking at the young prince.

"Of course. What's up?" Seliph replied quickly.

"Julia, could you come over here?" the bard asked, gesturing to a young girl sat nearby. She got up quietly and approached Seliph, curtsying daintily.

Seliph felt his heart skip a beat looking at the young girl. She was about his age, maybe slightly younger, but she was the most lovely girl he'd seen. She had long silver hair and very pretty violet eyes. The girl reminded him of a bouquet of lilacs or a soft blanket of snow, he wasn't quite sure which.

"Julia?" Seliph asked quietly, and found himself inwardly savoring the name.

The young girl glanced up as he said her name and gave him a gentle smile. Seliph felt something great pulling at his heart and broke from her gaze, looking to the rubbled ground.

"I found her in Belhalla when she was real little. She was injured," Lewyn explained, placing a reassuring hand on Julia's shoulder. "So I took her to a remote area of Silesse and have been taking care of her since. But things in Silesse started getting ugly, so we made our way here," he said with a chuckle. "But now I have to go to Lenster and... well, she's slowing me down a bit. Seliph... I hate to burden you, but can you watch over her for a bit? She's been through a lot and doesn't have any memories of what happened before I found her."

"Julia," Seliph repeated, feeling his eyes sting and his breath catch. "Yes, Lewyn, I'll protect her. But she won't be happy without you, so please hurry back to her, okay?"

The older man grinned lopsidedly at the prince. "Right on. I'll be back by the time you've liberated Isaach. Sound good, Seliph?" With that, he turned to leave.

"Don't go getting yourself killed, okay Lewyn?" Seliph called out to the sage.

Seliph turned to his new charge. Julia was staring demurely at the ground in front of him. The young prince couldn't help but smile. "Julia, I'm sure you'll miss the old coot. Don't worry, though—I'll protect you. I mean, I'm not very strong yet, but..." Seliph trailed off a bit, feeling somewhat silly.

Julia glanced up, her violet eyes meeting his gaze. Seeing the warrior at such a lost for words, she began laughing softly.

Seliph felt his cheeks flush, but continued, "Just watch—I'll be strong enough to protect everyone some day. I'll be able to defeat the empire, too." He balled his sword hand into a fist and closed his eyes. "I'll become strong, like my father."

The young girl frowned slightly, but did not move. "Seliph," she managed quietly.

Seliph met her gaze once more. "Come on, then. Let's get going," he said, flashing her a reassuring smile.


	2. Rivough

After Rivough had been captured and Isaach liberated, Seliph's army settled down for a well-deserved rest. Lewyn met with the young prince and told him about his destiny to liberate the continent. Seliph subsequently found himself wandering near the outskirts of camp, enjoying the stillness of the night air. Most everyone was exhausted, but the prince found himself too tightly wound to fall asleep. The sound of dying campfires crackled faintly behind him.

"Lord Seliph?" a familiar voice probed cautiously through the serene midnight.

Seliph glanced behind him to see Julia approaching quietly. "Oh, it's you. Is Lewyn doing well?"

She nodded in response. "A bit fatigued after such a long journey. He's resting now." Julia paused, hesitant to continue. "How... how are you?"

Seliph blinked in surprise. "Me?" he asked, suddenly feeling tongue-tied.

The truth was that Seliph's head was a whirlwind. It had been his first battle, let alone his first campaign... he and his friends—people he'd known his whole life—had spilled blood, had become killers in order to protect themselves and their ideals. They were all struggling with it, no doubt, but in whose name was it all done? It was Seliph's, and so the young prince shouldered the burden of his friends bloodying their hands. "I... I'm fine," he said with a shrug. Even _he_ didn't really believe his own words, but even more than that, he didn't want to concern the young girl more than needed. Like Lewyn had pointed out, she'd already been through so much.

Julia stopped, standing a pace to Seliph's right, and looked up at the starry sky. "What will you do?" she asked quietly.

"Hmm?" Seliph asked, perplexed.

"When the fighting is over."

"Oh." Seliph glanced skyward, seeing the many stars trickle their light through the ink of night. He heaved a sigh before answering. "Honestly, I don't know. Isaach is the only home I've known. But so many people wish for me to dethrone Arvis and lead Grannvale. I... I don't know the first thing about leading a kingdom. I really, really don't know."

"Seliph," the young priestess said softly. "You'll do fine. Don't doubt yourself... it's true that many people are counting on you, but after all... your friends are here for you."

Seliph glanced to his companion and was met with a smile. It was a sweet smile, and it lit the dark night more than any number of stars could.

"It's not right, though," Seliph began. "It's not right."

Silence gripped the two for some time, before Seliph found the nerve to speak. "Julia... how about you? This was your first battle, too. Are you alright?"

Julia nodded somberly in response. "Thank you for your consideration, milord. I'm fine, though." She paused, searching for the right words. "In Silesse, Lewyn and I saw many things. Here in Isaach, too. They're not right. I'm... I'm no warrior, but if there's anything I can do to help make things right, then it's worth doing."

Seliph felt the burden on his shoulders lighten just a tad, and he found himself smiling. "You're right, Julia. Thank you," he said, taking a deep breath. "We've all got to keep going, to keep doing whatever we can."

Julia gently placed her hand on Seliph's arm. The young lord glanced to his companion, once more tongue-tied.

"Seliph," her voice was like a sweet psalm or lullaby, easing the pain etched onto his heart. "I'm... I'm here to support you as well, Lord Seliph."

The young prince felt his eyes stinging. Reaching up, he placed his hand atop hers. In response, Julia smiled again, and once more Seliph felt himself drawn in by its radiance.

After some moments, Seliph let go and glanced back up at the sky. "It's getting late. We should probably get to bed." With that, he turned and left.


	3. Alster

"Well done, Seliph. First Isaach, and now Alster," Lewyn mused.

"Yeah, but King Bloom wasn't here. He must've made it to Conote, then," Seliph replied.

"Sure, but that's how it goes. This is war, remember? And we've only just gotten a foothold into the Thracian Peninsula. Bloom will be after us again, probably Travant, too."

"And we'll beat them," Seliph said, balling his hand into a fist. "After all, we've got the support of the people behind us. You've seen how they greet us!"

"It goes to show how dire the empire's rule has been, Seliph. They're counting on you, not only to liberate them, but also for what comes afterward. But before things get better, they'll have to get worse," Lewyn said grimly.

Seliph nodded wearily before taking his leave, returning to his tent. He took out a notebook and fished a loose paper from between its pages. It was worn by the passing of many years, and the ink had faded, but it was still legible. The young prince read it slowly, measuring each sentence, feeling each quill-scratched word. He'd already memorized the whole thing, but this letter and a silver sword were the only two mementos he still had from his father.

Heaving a sigh, Seliph placed the worn page back into the notebook and returned it to its place in his tent.

The sound of footsteps outside met his ears, followed by a familiar voice. "Lord Seliph, may I come in?" Julia asked quietly.

Seliph got to his feet, pulling aside the door flap of his tent. The young priestess was there, holding a tray with two cups and a what looked like a pot of tea. He greeted her with a faint smile, which she met with her own. "Julia," Seliph said, feeling his heart skip a beat.

"Lord Seliph, may I join you for some tea?" she asked brightly.

"Of course. Come on in," Seliph said, gesturing to the small table in his tent. He quickly placed two cushions on either side of it and sat on the far end. Julia placed the tray down and joined him, pouring tea into either cup.

Seliph took a sip of the tea before placing the cup down. It was made from Isaachian leaves and flowers, brewed hot but not scaldingly so. All in all, he found it very heartwarming. "Thank you," he said, nodding to his guest.

Julia gave a smile and laughed quietly to herself. "It's fine. I thought... I thought maybe you'd appreciate it," she said, beaming.

"You've stayed by me throughout this entire campaign," Seliph said quietly.

Julia nodded, seeming a bit more serious than before. "And you've protected me the whole time."

Seliph glanced from his tea up to Julia, appreciating the warmth of her violet eyes in the lantern light. He snorted in response. "I'm starting to wonder about that. You've been as capable a healer as Lana, and your light magic is incredible. Pretty soon you'll be the one protecting me."

Julia shook her head gently. "That's only because..." she trailed off, her words failing her.

The warrior took another draft of his hot tea, waiting for Julia to finish her thought.

Finally, the young priestess shrugged, and smiled at Seliph once more. Something about her made Seliph think of a bodhisattva or an angel. "Well, maybe we can protect each other, then?" she offered.

Seliph felt the corners of his mouth quirk into a grin. "Fine. But only until I'm stronger. Like I said before... I'll be like my father one day. You won't have to worry about me then."

Placing her teacup down, Julia shook her head gently. "I could never," she managed. She met Seliph's gaze for a brief instant, then glanced back down to her tea.

The prince blinked slowly at his guest. "Why's that? I'm not _that_ much of a screw up, am I?"

Julia shook her head, once again serious. "That's not it at all." She took another sip of her beverage, and for a brief moment they were both silent.

Seliph found himself chuckling. "Don't worry, Julia. I'm only teasing you."

She glanced up at him, her face quirked into a moue. "Seliph," she chided, "I mean it, you know."

And once more, the prince laughed. "Of course. But you're one of the only people I can let loose around, Julia. I'm a prince, a leader, a tactician, a symbol. Not much time to be just Seliph, you know?"

Julia met his gaze and nodded pensively. "Then it's fine. I already told you, didn't I? I'm here to support you."

Seliph found himself smiling. He glanced up from his tea to look at Julia. "You don't need to be so serious, you know," he teased.

"Hmph," Julia said, her moue returning. After a long pause, she continued. "You know, when we first met, I thought _you_ were too serious. You were a little bit frightening, even."

Seliph took another sip before replying. "You think so?" He shook his head lightly, bewildered. "Well, I suppose you have been pretty sheltered, haven't you?"

The priestess scoffed indignantly at his remark. "Seliph..." she said, placing her cup back onto the table between them. "I..."

Placing his own cup down, the prince glanced up and their eyes met. Seeing her violet eyes and the pretty frown on her face, he felt his stomach do a flip.

Leaning across the table, Seliph placed a hand on Julia's cheek and kissed her softly before sitting back on his pillow. "I like you, Julia," he said with a faint smile, feeling his cheeks turn red.

The priestess' eyes began filling with moisture, and her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. "I..." She looked down at the tray between them, folding her hands tightly in her lap. "Lord Seliph, I should go. You've got to get your rest." She stood up gracefully, took the tray and exited the tent.

"Good night, Julia," Seliph spoke softy as she left.


	4. Thracia

"Once more, you've proven nothing to be impossible," Lewyn said proudly. "You've liberated Thracia."

Seliph sighed, feeling overcome by a wave of both emotional and physical fatigue. "Yes, but as you've been so keen to point out up til now, there's more to go."

"Aye," Lewyn said with a nod. "We'll liberate Miletos, and we can use it as a springboard into Grannvale proper."

The prince could think of no words to reply with, and so he simply heaved another sigh.

"Seliph," Lewyn said calmly, "you've been doing great. I'm sure your father would be proud of you."

"Right," he barely managed.

The bard flashed a reassuring smile, and then bowed before taking his leave.

Seliph once again wandered to the edge of camp, where he could bask in the starlight. He found a broad tree to sit against and took a load off his feet.

It had been maybe twenty minutes—the prince had begun dozing off and lost track of time—when he was woken by a familiar voice.

"Lord Seliph?"

The junior lord blinked groggily and glanced up to see Julia standing above him.

"Julia, is that you?" Seliph asked, yawning.

Her lips quirked into a warm smile, and Seliph felt the night's cool vanish.

"Mind if I join you, milord?" she asked with a pretty curtsy.

"Yeah, go ahead," Seliph said with a nod.

The priestess sat herself daintily against the tree, shoulder to shoulder with Seliph. The young lord smiled briefly, before looking up at the stars.

"Julia," he began, measuring his words, "are you doing alright?"

"Yes, of course," she replied. "Yes, I'm doing fine."

Seliph glanced over to his companion, seeing the starlight glint off her violet eyes. "Good."

Julia turned, meeting his gaze. "And you, milord?" Although her face was soft, Seliph could hear the resolve in her voice.

The young lord felt the corners of his mouth quirk into a smile. Glancing back up at the sky, he let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding in. "Well," he said, "I'm doing much better now."

His companion tittered softly. "Stop teasing me, Seliph."

Seliph shook his head. "But I'm not."

Silence gripped the two as they continued basking in the perfect starlight.

Finally, Seliph turned to his companion. He gently took her hand in his, twining their fingers together. Without saying a word, he gave her his warmest, most reassuring smile.

Julia smiled back, blushing. "Seliph," she said, squeezing his hand. She scooted closer to him and placed his hand on her lap. "I'm sorry, Lord Seliph," she said quietly.

"Hmm? What for?"

The priestess shook her head. "The burden of this war. Everyone's hopes and expectations ride on your shoulders. It's more than anyone should have to carry," she explained. "Least of all you."

Seliph took a deep breath and began feeling his eyes sting with grief. After some moments, he managed to reply. "I couldn't have done any of it without you, Julia."

She squeezed his hand once more. Turning to her, Seliph saw his companion's cheeks flushed as she glanced demurely at the ground. "I... I like you too, Seliph," she said quietly.

The young lord sighed wistfully, then looked back to the starlit sky. "Julia, whatever happens after this is all done, come with me." He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "Chalphy, Belhalla, Grannvale—whatever—I can do anything as long as you're with me."

"What do you mean...?"

Seliph turned to his companion, and their gazes met. "Julia, will you marry me? Will you be my queen someday?"

She tittered quietly, beaming at him. "Lord Seliph," she began, "you've already made me so happy." She paused, and Seliph found himself basking in the radiance of her smile. "Of course... As long as I'm able, I'll make you happy, too. I'm yours as long as you'll have me."

"Forever, then?" Seliph teased, fondly squeezing her hand.

"Forever," she agreed with a bright smile.

Seliph wrapped his arms around her petite frame and embraced her in a sweet kiss. As he quit her lips, the young lord ran his fingers through his lover's soft hair. "Julia... I think I love you."

The young priestess laughed, tightening her grasp around him and leaning against his broad chest. "And I you, milord," she whispered.


	5. Peruluke & Chalphy

Lewyn approached Seliph briskly. "No time to waste, Lord Seliph. Some of the children escaped Chronos. We must get to them before the Loptyrian cultists do."

"You're right, we'll sortie immediately. Those kids... they've got nothing to do with this war. I can't let them die!"

The bard frowned, pausing for a moment before he continued. "...There's something else, milord. Julia seems to have disappeared."

Seliph's face blanched, and he felt the synapses in his brain fire like an angry hornet's nest. "J-Julia? She's gone?" Seliph stammered, trying not to panic. "But she was just here."

Lewyn bowed his head apologetically. "The enemy must have found her, I can't think of anything else. But what could they possibly want with her?"

The young prince nodded, dismissing the old bard. Taking a brief moment to himself, Seliph took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Julia," he murmured quietly. "I made a promise, didn't I? I... I'll come rescue you, I promise."

* * *

"Seliph, it's done," Lewyn said, clapping the young warrior on the back. "Arvis is defeated, and Chalphy liberated. Look at all the townspeople! See how happy they are?"

"Yeah, you're right." The prince heaved a sigh. "This... Chalphy is my father's homeland, isn't it? I should feel happy having made it here, but I don't. It's just..."

"It's Julia, isn't it?" Lewyn asked, frowning. "You really care about her," he said quietly.

Seliph made a pained expression. "It's not..." The young prince sighed reluctantly. "I'm that transparent, am I?"

"I heard a few townfolk say they saw Bishop Manfroy take off with a young girl," Lewyn offered helpfully. "It must be her. She's got to be somewhere in Grannvale, then."

"Lewyn..." Seliph began, sorting through his thoughts, "father has been avenged, but it's still not right."

The sage nodded understandingly. "You're right, young lord. And it won't be right until this war is over and Loptous has been defeated. The final battle, the holy war, is on the horizon. I know it's been hard, but you're so close to the end, Seliph. Once this is all over, you'll get your answers, I promise."

Seliph nodded quietly, processing the older man's words. "Lewyn, do mind watching over things for a bit? I need to take a walk."

Lewyn bowed respectfully. "Of course, milord."

The young prince navigated his way through the throngs of ecstatic villagers, but none of their enthusiasm rubbed off on him. Once he'd made his way out of the city limits, he made a brief walk south toward the Miletosian waters.

Seliph tasted the saline air and heard the gentle wake of the water upon the sandy coast. But he could not find his peace of mind, not as things were. Not as long as Julia was missing.

"Seliph... is that you, Seliph?" A voice thrummed in his mind.

Shocked, the junior lord cast about, looking for the source of the voice. "Is someone there? Show yourself!"

"You've grown so much, Seliph." A spectral figure appeared before him, a woman he didn't recognize except in his heart.

He shook his head in disbelief. "M-mother, is that you?"

Deirdre smiled beatifically at her son. "Lewyn really has taken care of you, Seliph. You're such a fine young man now."

The prince found himself blinking back tears, unsure what to say in turn.

"Treasure those around you, Seliph. Honor them while you still can."

"Of course, mother!" Seliph agreed. "Mother, I... I slew Emperor Arvis. Father has finally been avenged." The prince could no longer hold back the hot tears in his eyes, and they began streaming down his face.

"...I see. ...And what about Julius and Julia?" the spectral Deirdre asked with a forlorn smile.

"Julia? A-and Julius? Do you know where they've gone, mother?"

The spectre began to fade away, struck with grief not unlike his own. In her place, another hazy apparition swam into view. It was a man, broad and tall, with blue hair and blue eyes. In life, he must have been noble and strong, most likely a warrior. Seliph immediately recognized him.

"F-father? Is it really you?" Seliph managed.

"Seliph," Sigurd said with a warm smile. "You've avenged me, but there are yet trials ahead. Trials you won't surpass on your own."

"Father, what do you mean?"

"...Grannvale's people... Judgral's people are the ones most torn and fractured by this war. Understand their pain, my son. Become the king that they need you to be, or the lives lost so far will be for naught."

"Please, father... Father, don't leave!" Seliph cried out. But then the second apparition was gone, too.

"...Take care, Seliph," Deirdre's voice echoed faintly in his thoughts.

Seliph collapsed to his knees and cried, releasing all his grief. "Mother, father..."


	6. Dozel

As the clamor of battle finally died away, Lewyn approached Seliph once more. "It's a disgrace, isn't it? To think the Neir lineage could be so denigrated. It all began because of Lombard..."

"Lewyn, about what you were saying before..." Seliph said, glancing at the wearied bard. "The gods who descended upon the twelve crusaders..."

The sage nodded quietly, then began. "Here's my understanding... There were beings aware that the Dragon Tribe was responsible for Jugdral's unrest. Beings from another world. They crossed into our own to help us, that's when they appeared at Darna."

"From scripture?" Seliph asked, blinking owlishly. "The descent of Lord Naga and the eleven gods?"

"The very same," Lewyn agreed. "They took human forms and performed blood rites with each of the twelve chosen warriors. Naga as a young maiden, Salamand as a wizened old man..."

"Blood rites?" Seliph asked, glancing sidelong at the bard.

"Yes, blood rites," Lewyn explained. "Each one cut their fingertip, and in turn offered their blood to one of the warriors."

"The hell!?"

"Seliph, I'll be frank with you. Naga and the eleven gods we know from scripture... they come from the very same Dragon Tribe as Loptous. After drinking the blood of holy dragons, the twelve warriors were reborn as crusaders. The dragons left fragments of their power with the crusaders, with each fragment taking the shape of a holy weapon. They imparted precepts upon the crusaders and left."

"You mean the power we wield comes from..."

Lewyn smiled wanly. "Yet Loptous' clan wielded a diabolic power that the world has yet to match since. Lord Naga herself passed her blood onto Bishop Heim, the leader of the liberation army. That was Naga's only hope to rival Loptous' power."

"What about the other dragons, though?" Seliph asked.

"Not even then," the bard explained, shaking his head. "Their combined strength wouldn't be enough without the addition of Naga's power. And now, Empress Deirdre's children are the only remnants of Bishop Heim's lineage who could have inherited Naga's light magic... However, neither you nor Julius inherited her blood. But now I know who did. Julius' twin sister... Princess Julia. She's the one," he finished quietly.

"Julia?" Seliph asked blankly, feeling his head swim.

"I wasn't sure what to make of it, either. But it's true, Seliph... You've got a sister."

The junior lord pressed a hand against his temple, feeling his head begin to throb. "Lewyn, are you serious? I don't even..."

"This explains her abduction, though," Lewyn offered helpfully. "We can still rescue her from Manfroy, Seliph. Without the power of Naga, there's nothing we can do against Julius."

Seliph nodded somberly, finding the resolve to keep going. "We'll do it, then. I promised you a long time back that I'd look after her, didn't I? And now... I've let you down, Lewyn." The young lord brushed the tears from his eyes and deftly brandished his sword. "Let's go rescue her. And... I'll never let you down again."


	7. Reunion

After striking down Manfroy, the young lord made his way back to their front line and was briskly intercepted by a grim-faced Lewyn. "Lord Seliph, it's Julia," he said urgently. "She's under some kind of enchantment. Right now Corpul is handling her... go on, Seliph. We just have to break through Manfroy's spell. Julia needs you."

Seliph nodded. "Of course. Manfroy is ended..." he said, taking a deep breath. "I can save her now." The junior lord brushed past Lewyn and broke into a brisk lope.

The skirmish wasn't too far off, and Seliph found his way to the two casters by following the sizzle and crash of spells. Just as Lewyn had said, Corpul was handling Julia, biding time for this very moment.

"Corpul!" Seliph shouted, stopping to catch his breath.

The priest nodded acknowledgment before turning and retreating past Seliph. "She's all yours," he called in passing.

Julia stood not far off, but it was not the same girl that Seliph had grown to know and care for. She carried herself with malice and callousness, not her usual grace and tranquility.

"Heeeah," she bared her teeth at him. "Any...who...oppose...us...will...die." Gesturing in the air, she unleashed her powerful resire spell upon him.

Seliph quickly drew the holy Tyrfing and gripped its hilt tight, its strength enabling him to weather Julia's searing light magic.

"Ungh," he grunted, feeling the spell's effects despite his powerful resistance. "Julia, it's me," he called out to her.

"I...I...don't...know...you..." she replied vacantly, casting resire once again.

After her spell, Seliph made a dash for the young priestess, dropping his blade and throwing his arms around her. She thrashed against his grip, but he refused to let go.

"Julia, it's me, Seliph," he repeated urgently. "Come on... snap out of it already!"

The girl shivered in his grasp before finally calming down. She glanced up at Seliph, and their eyes met. "... Mngh... Lord Seliph? What's happening?"

"It was Bishop Manfroy," Seliph said, taking a deep breath. "But his spell is gone now... you're safe with me."

Julia frowned, and her eyes began swimming with unshed tears. "I... I remember now. Back in Peruluke, he forced me to go with him."

Leaning forward, Seliph kissed her brow gently. "Julia... I'm so glad you're safe now," he said, holding her tighter.

"Seliph, there's something else I remembered..."

The prince shook his head. "Don't worry about it. Lewyn already told me everything. I... I really messed everything up." Seliph could barely find his voice. "Julia, I'm sorry."

She quit his embrace, shaking her head. Slowly, she reached down and took his hand in hers, weaving their fingers together. "Lord Seliph," she stammered, "I-I'm confused... but I still love you, even if you're my brother. I-I still never want to leave you."

He squeezed her hand fondly, and flashed her his best smile. "We both feel the same, then. Besides, there's no undoing the past, is there?"

Tears began spilling from her pretty violet eyes, and she fell sobbing against his shoulder.

Seliph placed his other arm around the young priestess, running his fingers through her silver hair. "We'll figure us out later, okay? We're so close to the end of this. There's no stopping now."

"No," she agreed. "We can't stop now. I... at first, I was afraid to fight. But I'll do what I have to, even if it means fighting Julius, my own flesh and blood."

The junior lord chuckled softly. "We're together again, Julia," he mused, holding her close. "And as long as we're together, there's nothing we can't do."

Julia lifted her tear-streaked gaze to his, and smiled as best she could. Squeezing his hand affectionately, she leaned in and kissed him. All of the guilt, all of the shame, all of the confusion, and all of the wrong dissolved in that instant.

As he quit her lips, Seliph took a deep, reverent breath. "Julia..." he said, finding the words written on his heart, "you and I are bound together by fate, aren't we? I... I really love you, Julia."

She let a content sigh pass her lips, and once again pressed herself against his broad chest. They stayed that way for a few moments before either of them budged.

Seliph finally ended the moment. "Come on, let's go," he said with a handsome smile. "Let's finish this, okay?"


	8. Resonance

"Lord Seliph, this is goodbye, isn't it?" The old bard was the last of Seliph's companions, but he too had to leave.

The prince forced himself to smile, and at once he remembered his mother's words to him: treasure those around you, honor them while you still can. "Everything, Lewyn..." he struggled to find the right words, "Thank you for everything you've done, for all of us. Without you, we'd have been lost. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you."

Lewyn grinned his lopsided grin. "I only did what I had to, you know," he said with a lofty shrug. "I am the wind, a gentle breeze tasked to guide you all through the darkness. But you young crusaders... you're the very light which illuminates the dark. Don't forget that."

"Lewyn, I've had a hunch for a while, but now I'm finally sure. Growing up in Isaach, I've heard stories of how dragons dared not interfere in mankind's problems. But you," Seliph said with reverence, "you were different. You've been with us, every step of the way. As long as our world lives on, we won't forget you. Legends of your generosity will weather the endless ravages of time. As both a hero from far away, and as Forseti of the Wind."

The bard smiled wanly, then turned to leave.

Seliph breathed deep and felt his eyes tearing up. It was over. They'd made it through, somehow, but all the friends and allies he'd met along the way had left. After all, without them, who would rebuild the broken world they'd inherited from their parents?

From beside him, Julia smiled and took his hand in hers.

The prince looked to her questingly. "Julia," he whispered. "You'll stay here?"

She smiled warmly at him. "I'm yours as long as you'll have me."

"But you... we'll," he shook his head. "We can't."

Julia's face quirked into a cute moue. "But you promised. Forever, remember?"

Seliph laughed despite himself, but the prospect was daunting. Would Grannvale's people even accept such a thing? But the reassurance in Julia's violet eyes was enough for him. He wrapped his arms around her, embracing her with adoring kiss.

They parted, and the prince loosed a painful sigh. "It's hard to believe that they're all gone, just like that."

"Well... the people of Belhalla are all here," Julia offered helpfully. "They love you, remember? Besides," she said with a cryptic smile, "we don't have to be alone, you know..."

The prince snorted in response. "Julia, don't joke about that," he warned.

Julia merely pressed close to him, leaning against his broad chest. She closed her eyes, and a blissful sigh passed her lips.

Seliph thought back to the campaign, during the jaunt from Thracia to Peruluke. After she'd finally reciprocated his feelings, the nights they'd spent together...

The young lord froze, dwarfed before an endless immensity. "J-Julia..." he barely managed.

But the imperial princess' smile was as radiant as always, perhaps even more so. "Like you already said... there's no undoing the past, is there?"

He held her tight, cherishing the moment in the face of any anxieties he had. "But I... how do we?" Seliph couldn't find the right words.

His beatific lover simply continued to press close, enjoying his warm embrace.

"Julia," the young lord finally managed. "You can't—the scandal of a bastard child..." He felt his mind reeling as he sorted through his thoughts for some kind of solution. "You could go to Spirit Forest. Later, I can adopt the child as my own."

"I'm not leaving you," she said firmly.

"We can ask someone... maybe Delmud, to take your hand. At least that way they won't be born a bastard. Velthomer isn't far, after all."

Julia looked up to him, and the same moue from before was there. Her violet eyes caught his gaze, and he knew there was no point in continuing this conversation. Seliph ran his fingers through her silky hair and forced himself to smile. He let out a deep breath, equal parts resigned and cathartic.

She tittered in response, and there was never a sound more beautiful. "Remember what you said, love? As long as we're together... there's nothing we can't do."

The endless immensity before the imperial prince was beginning to look less impossible by the second. Julia's radiant smile could melt away all of his fears and anxieties. They were together, and that's what mattered most.

"The holy war is finally over," Julia said somberly. "And fate was a hard mistress along the way. But I'm glad, Seliph. Everything that's happened... without it, we wouldn't be together here and now."

Seliph felt as though his heart might explode for love of this girl. He found the words etched onto his heart and decided to put all his faith in them. "Julia, I love you."

She smiled her cryptic smile, and he knew in that instant his heart had been right. "And I you, milord," Julia said, beaming.


End file.
